Chicago Fire FC 2024 Season Preview

MLSsoccer staff

2024 Schedule

Strength: They cleared out some disappointing, underperforming players and brought in guys who have been good either in MLS (Kellyn Acosta) or elsewhere (Tobias Salquist, Hugo Cuypers). It was a good offseason and the Fire look better than they were last year, when they nearly made the Wild Card Round.
Weakness: They were near the bottom of the league in virtually every chance generation metric, and as of now, they haven’t explicitly addressed the need for a playmaker.

Ousmane Doumbia: A defensive midfielder, Doumbia arrived last summer on loan from Swiss Super League side and partner club FC Lugano. The Designated Player's purchase option wasn't exercised at season's end.
Kei Kamara: Kamara's one season in Chicago ended with 5g/2a in 27 games. The veteran striker is third (144) in the MLS all-time goals chart.
Miguel Navarro: The Venezuelan international left back got traded to the Colorado Rapids after four seasons in Chicago. Navarro is now on loan at Argentine top-flight side Talleres.
Jairo Torres: Chicago and Torres reached a mutual contract termination, ending a disappointing two seasons in MLS for the Mexican winger – and opening a DP roster spot. He failed to score in 36 matches after commanding a reported $6 million transfer fee.

Kellyn Acosta: Acosta was one of the biggest free agents available this winter, and he chose Chicago as a long-term home. The USMNT midfielder arrives with 18g/25a in 252 matches spanning FC Dallas, Colorado and LAFC.
Hugo Cuypers: Chicago established a new club-record incoming transfer record when landing Cuypers for a reported $12 million (could rise to $14 million with add-ons). The DP striker signs from Belgian top-flight side Gent, where he tallied 51g/15a in 90 matches.
Andrew Gutman: A one-time homegrown target has returned to his boyhood team. Gutman joined via a trade from Colorado, bringing 10g/10a across 106 MLS matches as the club's new left back.
Tobias Salquist: A new center-back partner for Rafael Czichos? That's the vision with Salquist, who joined via transfer from Danish Superliga side Silkeborg IF.
Full roster